If you are getting married, and love to travel, then why not combine the two and get married abroad? Planning a destination wedding is a lot easier and less stressful than you might think. Oh, and did I mention that destination weddings can be SO MUCH CHEAPER than a traditional wedding!? Below are my top tips, and what I would have done differently, to help you plan a destination wedding.
Note: Most of these tips are helpful for those planning a destination wedding at an all inclusive resort.
1. Before you go, make sure the most important people to you can attend.
If you want to plan a destination wedding, check with those who are most important to you to see if they can go. If one of your parents is unable to fly, and it is extremely important they be there, then having a destination wedding may not be an option for you.
And remember, not everyone you invite will be able to go. Out of 80 invited guests, we had 24 guests attend our destination wedding. The plus side is that your wedding will be more intimate, and you will spend quality time with everyone.
The downside to this, is that there may be people who get offended about your decision to have a destination wedding. This is a tricky topic, but remember, you can’t please everyone. Try to do what’s best for you, and those who are most important to you. Most of the time, if you cater to someone else’s needs, they won’t go anyway!
2. Go through a travel agent.
If you are a Type A Traveller like me (i.e. love to plan and be in control when planning a trip), then getting a travel agent might not be on your radar. But here are reasons why getting a travel agent for a destination wedding is so helpful:
- You get more perks! As the bride and groom we got upgraded (for free!) on the plane, free gifts from the travel agent to give to our guests, we had “privilege” status at the resort where we got access to exclusive beaches and restaurants, and an INCREDIBLE room next to the beach and pool.
- If you meet a minimum number of bookings one person can go for free. You can use this for yourself, give it to someone else, or divide the amount between multiple guests.
- The travel agent takes care of all of the logistics. This makes it really easy for you, and your guests, because all you need to do is pay the travel agent for the travel package, and she literally does everything else. When we arrived at our destination, there was a private bus that she arranged that took ONLY our guests from the airport to the resort. (They do not help plan the actual destination wedding, that is between you and the wedding coordinator at the resort).
TIP: When choosing a travel agent, ask them what benefits you get. It may vary on the agency. A lot of these perks weren’t even mentioned to me beforehand. As a type A traveller, I want to know EVERYTHING that is going on, so make sure to ask!
3. The wedding coordinators will help you a lot!
When planning a destination wedding, you will be in touch with the wedding coordinator at the resort. It is important to be a bit more laid back if you are planning a destination wedding. In my experience, they went above and beyond my expectations. You can send them pictures of what you like, and they will always want to help you out.
You normally won’t meet the coordinator or see the venue until a few days before your wedding. Planning a destination wedding might not be for you if you have very specific requirements.
Every wedding is different, so the budget and style can vary. We chose to have the most basic package. We brought a few things from home that we wanted incorporated into our wedding.
When you arrive at the resort, you will meet with your wedding coordinator in person to go over the details.
TIP: Typically, when you get married at a resort you have to arrive 2-3 days before your wedding date. The resort you choose will have this information.
4. Look into getting legally married at home before you go
This is what we did, shhhh – don’t tell! To save A LOT of money, stress, and time we opted to get legally married in our home country and do a “symbolic ceremony” at the resort.
For our legal wedding in our home country, we got married in front of our immediate family and best man/maid of honour, and had dinner together. It was simple, inexpensive, and such a wonderful experience!
If you choose to get legally married at your destination, check the requirements. Most of the time, you will need to have your documents translated which can cost a lot of money. Only certain people are allowed to marry you legally, and it is usually in another language, and their availability is limited.
For a legal wedding at your destination, the resort will usually require you to arrive 3 business days before your wedding. Some may require blood collection to ensure you do not have any any STIs.
If you choose a “symbolic ceremony”, check with your resort if you need to be legally married for a certain amount of time beforehand. We had to be legally married for a minimum of 3 months. We had to be at the resort 2 business days before the wedding to meet with the wedding coordinator too. No blood collection was necessary for this option!
5. Send “Save the date” notices far in advance
Having a destination wedding for the bride and groom is A LOT cheaper than the typical at-home wedding. For the guests? Not so much. Unless if you are super-mega-rich, your wedding guests will need to pay for their own travel package. An all inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic or Cuba can range from $900 to $2000 per person.
Give your guests plenty of notice of your upcoming destination wedding so that they can start saving early. I would recommend at LEAST a year to 18 months. There are so many creative and fun “save the date” ideas too!
Don’t take it personally if someone can’t go. Everyone’s financial situations are different. Before you plan a destination wedding, ask your closest friends and family if they would be able to go before committing to having one.
6. You will get a lot of questions
What I wasn’t expecting while planning a destination wedding is that you may get A LOT of questions (depending on the number of guests invited). There is no harm in having questions about a destination wedding!
For a lot of people (the bride and groom included!) this is a new experience. Naturally guests will have questions about the wedding, the traveling, what to pack, or if they are experiencing any issues. Some guests may ask you to change the date of your wedding.
If this is too over-whelming for you, an option is to designate someone in your wedding party that guests can direct their questions to. If you have a wedding website or Facebook group, you can make a “Frequency Asked Questions” section, and the names of who they can reach out to if they have more questions.
7. Pick a resort based on your needs
There are SO many resorts to choose from, that you will soon become and expert in all of them while you plan for your destination wedding. Here are a few things to consider when picking a resort:
- Size of the resort. Do you want a large resort, or a small one? I chose a small resort so I could find my guests easily, and we had a few guests with mobility issues. Another bride I know chose a large resort because she had a few family members who didn’t like each other, and needed the space for them to avoid each other! Every wedding dynamic is different.
- Cost is also a factor to consider. There are resorts that could be more affordable for your guests, or resorts that are much higher in price. Try to be mindful of what your guests might be able to afford or not.
- Proximity to the airport. Some resorts are only a 15 minute drive away, while others can be up to an hour!
- The overall vibe of the resort. Is it a party resort with lots of activities? Or a laid-back resort that focuses on relaxation? Do the resorts allow children, or is it adults only?
- Read reviews on Trip Advisor. Read what other travellers have said about any resort you are interested in. Ask your travel agent too for their opinions!
- Wifi. Picking a resort with wifi throughout will help you stay connected.
8. Make welcome bags for your guests (and don’t rely on the resort to distribute them!)
As a thank you to your guests, giving everyone a welcome bag when they arrive can be a pleasant surprise!
What I wish I had done differently for the welcome bags was to not depend on the resort to hand them out.
My original vision was for my guests to have the bags waiting for them in their room. But this did not go as plan! I gave them to the front desk to distribute. They gave the bags to the guests while they were checking in, but I had forgotten to put their welcome letters in the bags. Some of the resort staff tried to steal them. Luckily one of my guests told me she never got hers. I had to get the wedding coordinator to track them down.
If I had to do it differently, I would personally give my guests the welcome bags. I would have done this by asking the front desk for their room numbers (or contacting my guests over WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger to find them), and dropping off the bags to their rooms.
Tip: Include a welcome letter and “itinerary” in your welcome bag. The itinerary doesn’t have to be jam-packed with activities, it could simply say when the wedding is.
9. It is hard to spend time with everyone
What you don’t hear about while planning a destination wedding is that it is hard to distribute yourself among your guests! You want to spend time with everyone, but you usually need to divide your time. Also, since you are all spread out over the resort it can be hard to find everyone!
This can be solved in a number of ways:
- Pick a resort that has wifi throughout, so that you can communicate over Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp if you need to coordinate a group activity or find someone.
- Pick the same areas to hang out in. It was easy to find our friend group because they normally hung out at the beach, and our families normally hung out at the pool. If the resort is small, it will be easy to run into guests while getting breakfast, or at the beach. And then we would make plans for where to eat for dinner and when to meet.
- Another bride I know, just camped out in the same spot everyday and let her guests find her. We did the opposite and seeked our guests out.
- Remember, you have a whole WEEK to spend time with everyone! Compared to a normal wedding where you typically only have the one evening!
If you want privacy, it is easier to find due to your upgraded “privilege” status. Or choose a larger resort. Another option is to consider extending your vacation as a “honeymoon.”
10. Plan a group activity at your destination wedding
Planning a fun group activity together is another great way to spend time with all of your guests. There are so many options for what to do: a welcome party on the beach, a group excursion (we did a catamaran boat ride, snorkelling and swimming trip!), or just arranging a time for everyone to meet at one of the buffet restaurants.
The group excursions can be booked in advance or at the resort. Any specific “parties” (like a welcome party) will need to be arranged through your wedding coordinator first.
11. Avoid getting sunburnt and wear strapless bathing suits.
There are LOTS of opportunities to accidentally get a sunburn! Especially if you have fair-skin and burn easily. And no one wants to look a lobster in their wedding photos, or have weird tan-lines.
- Wear a bathing suit that compliments the straps of your dress. If your dress is strapless, try to wear strapless bathing suits.
- Load up on the sunscreen. Carry it with you at all times and reapply often!
- Bring a sun hat and a coverup. I sometimes even went swimming in my coverup and sunhat!
12. Get married in the evening to avoid crowds and onlookers
While planning you destination wedding, get married later in the evening closer to sunset. Not only will the pictures be gorgeous, but it won’t be as hot. Also, there won’t be as many people on the beach since they will at dinner.
To help keep your guests cool, bring fans and ask your wedding coordinator to put them on each wedding chair.
To avoid onlookers, check with your resort to see what locations are available to you. For example, the resort where we got married had a private beach reserved for wedding ceremonies.
13. Send thank you notes
A special way to thank your guests for coming, is to send them thank you cards after you return home. There are so many ideas for thank you cards. We made a little booklet filled with photos of the trip, and wrote our thank you message inside each booklet.
14. Remember to relax and enjoy the experience
There will always be stressful moments while you plan a destination wedding. But compared to an at-home wedding, a destination wedding can definitely help ease the stress because there is a travel agent and wedding coordinator to help.
Spending time with your closest friends and family for a week in a gorgeous destination can make for some of the best memories in your life. Enjoy the experience!
Have you had a destination wedding? What would your top tips be for planning one?
Let me know if you have any questions for how to plan your destination wedding in the comments below!
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